


The first trip to Berk for Jackson Overland

by TrixterDark



Series: Sixteenth Year Au [2]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Berk - Freeform, Christmas, M/M, Sequel, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-28
Updated: 2015-05-15
Packaged: 2018-03-15 15:28:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3452282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrixterDark/pseuds/TrixterDark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to The sixteenth Year of Hiccup Haddock. Jack joins the Haddocks on a trip to Berk during Winter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Packing with the Haddocks

**Author's Note:**

> New readers: If you didn't read "the sixteenth year of Hiccup Haddock" this will not make any sense.
> 
> Current readers: Sorry, the epilogue became its own story but...See? We're back!

Hiccup woke up early that morning. He took Toothless for a short walk. As painful as it felt, Hiccup knew he had no choice but to keep at it. Toothless trotted slowly beside him, occasionally attacking any leaf that dared to fall onto their path.

School had been exhausting as he had predicted. He was usually late for class, no matter what he did. The hallways were longer than he remembered, and the stairs looked like lethal machines. Merida, Jack, and Jim were there to help him though. Although, studying with Jack was hard, since Jack never actually wanted to study. Any time spent alone with him was used for more...amusing activities.

Hiccup returned to the Haddock house cold and hungry. Valka was already working on breakfast, which scared Hiccup. She was burning a pot of oatmeal. "Morning Mom. Let me help you with that."

"Oh, thank you Hiccup. Jack's game is today, isn't it?"

"Yeah, at noon. I'm meeting Jim and the gang there."

"I thought Jack would pick you up early." She watched as Hiccup did his best to salvage breakfast.

"Nah, I told him to just focus on his game."

"Do you want a ride to school? Yer father won't be leaving before noon anyhow."

"I guess..."

Hiccup sighed. He wondered if he would ever be able to walk all the way to school again.

A harsh wind was blowing through Burgess that day. The sky was shrouded in heavy clouds. Jack gave it another look as he headed into the school.

"Morning, Overland."

He turned to see Merida walking towards him. "I see you got a new scarf. Looks nice."

Merida was referring to the blue wool decorated with stars that was wrapped around Jack's neck. He tugged at it, proud. "Thank you. It's a Hiccup Haddock original, you know." They walked inside. "I see you're wearing Jim's coat. It suits you."

Merida turned red. "I just borrowed last night...After dinner! His mother insisted."

Jack shook his head. "Save your excuses, Red. It's none of my business, really."

She gave him an irritated look before heading into the girl's locker room.

Dinner at the Hawkins residence was fun. His mother was a great cook, and the small home had a cozy atmosphere. She had been spending more time with Jim as of late. Their relationship was teetering between friends and something more. Merida wasn't sure what direction she wanted to take it in. Back home, boys fought for her attention. But that was due to her family fortune. Jim didn't seem too enamored with her family's wealth, on the contrary he appeared a little put off by it.

She supposed that meant he liked her for her. What a weird concept for this day and time, liking a girl for her thoughts. Their daily activities weren't all that normal either. They would jog in the park, or workout at the gym. Jim taught her a few tricks on his skateboard. They were going to a archery range this weekend. It was a very 'active' relationship. Merida shook her head. Now wasn't the time to brood about Jim. She changed into her uniform and headed towards the field.  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"We're gonna be late!"

"It'll be fine, Anna."

"..."

Anna, Elsa, and Rapunzel were on their way to Burgess high once again. Rapunzel had not seen her friends in a while, so she was eager to see Jack and Merida play. The winter holiday was upon them. It seemed like everyone was going away for the break. Rapunzel and her family would be up in a lodge. The DunBrochs were going to the tropics. The Haddocks were headed back to Berk.

Well, the Haddocks, and one Jackson Overland.

When Rapunzel and her cousins arrived at Burgess High, Jim and Hiccup were waiting in the stands. The game had just begun. Rapunzel took a seat next to Hiccup and rubbed her gloved hands together. "Another cold day in Burgess."

"Yeah." Hiccup pulled a thermos from his backpack. "You want hot chocolate?"

"Yes!"

"Me too!" Anna said. "I'm freezing."

Jim sipped his slowly. "It's good. Not too hot or too sweet."

Hiccup produced more cups from his backpack. "Do you want some Elsa? It'll help you warm up a little."

"No thanks." Elsa replied. "The cold doesn't bother me anyway."

Jack took deep breath. They were up against the Ogres again. He wasn't looking forward to the shoving. He looked at Merida, who nodded at him before looking away. He followed her gaze to the crowd. Hiccup was sitting between Jim and Rapunzel, sipping something from a Styrofoam cup. He gave Jack a short wave. Jack waved back, beaming.

Merida gave him a shove. "Focus, loverboy."

It was a match full of grunts, shouts, and pain. Merida knew her mother would have a fit when she saw the bruises. Elinor was a little more accepting of Merida's lacrosse playing as of late. However, that didn't stop her from trying to get Merida to take up activities that were more "ladylike".

A hard shove sent her face first into the dirt.

"Get up, DunBroch! "

"Walk it off DunBroch! "

Merida shook her head and sat up.

Jack stood above her. "You okay, Red?"

"Ah'll be fine."

"Good. Oh..."

"What?"

"Your chin's really red."  
\-------------------------------------

Rapunzel crossed her arms in irritation. "They always pick on Merida. It's not fair."

Hiccup sighed. "Yeah. They're probably just jealous though. Merida is still one of the best players in the area and she's a girl. You know that gets under their skin, losing to us all the time."

Rapunzel reached across Hiccup's lap to give Jim's hand a squeeze. "Oh, don't worry Jim. Merida always gets them back in the end."

Jim nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

"So..." Rapunzel decided to change the subject. "Have you told her how you feel? How you reaaally feel? "

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "You don't have to answer that, Jim."

Jim sighed. "I dunno, I mean. She knows how I feel about her. It's like we're stuck in this..."

"Friendzone?" Anna asked.

"Yup." Jim nodded.

Hiccup sipped his tea. "Ah, the friendzone. I used to live there. I think I was mayor at one point."

Jim and Rapunzel laughed.

"Same here." Rapunzel said. Hiccup glanced at her. "No hard feelings, Hiccup. Don't give me that face."

"Okay..." Hiccup turned his attention back to the game. "If you say so..."

"So, are you ready to go back to Berk? " Rapunzel asked.

"Am I ready to go from chilly weather to freezing? Why yes, Rapunzel, I am." Hiccup sighed. "I'm just a little worried about Jack...And his lack of coats."

Jack was a fan of cold weather, but not layers. Winter in Berk was a thing to be feared, so Hiccup made Jack promise to wear more clothes. Aside from the chill he was concerned about the living situation. Berk was not at the forefront when it came to technology, and Jack was used to modern comforts. Then there were his parents...and his other relatives...and the locals...

It was a glorious victory for the Burgess high Heffalumps. With adrenaline pumping through his veins and sweat pouring down his back, Jack made a quick retreat to the showers. They were brand new and a big improvement over the rusty old ones Jack had to use sophomore year. After his shower Jack changed quickly. When Jack had first made his relationship with Hiccup public, a lot of his teammates and friends treated him differently. It was irritating and awkward, but at least they gave him space in the locker room.

He went inside and met his friends in the art club room.

"Hey, adorable." He held his arms open wide.

Hiccup rolled his eyes and offered Jack a cup of hot chocolate as he approached.

"Hey yourself. Good game."

Merida had arrived before him. Her left sleeve had been rolled up, revealing a nasty mark. "They got me again." She said.

Jack sat on a desk and sipped his drink. "Yeah, they gave me a nice one on my leg."

Hiccup was concerned. "Are you okay?"

Jack sighed. "No...I'm not."

Now Hiccup was worried. "Why? Does it hurt?"

"No..." Jack shook his head. "It's just..."

"Just?"

"It's just...I really wish you made gingerbread cookies, Hic. I really wanted some."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Oh man...I really thought you were being serious."

Jack frowned. "I am. Hic, it's the Yuletide season. You already told me Christmas will be different in Berk. I need to soak in as many normal Christmas traditions in Burgess as possible."

"Of course. How foolish of me." Hiccup took a plastic container out of his bag. "I made ginger snaps this morning."

"Now we're talking!" Jack said, grinning.

"I'm starving!" Anna declared. "Oh, let's go eat at Tiana's!"

Merida shook her head. "I don't wanna eat that stuff today."

"I didn't come out of the house with any cash." Hiccup admitted.

"Can we go to your place?" Rapunzel asked him. "I mean, we probably won't see each other for a while."

Jim glanced at his phone. "..." She was right. Jim wouldn't be seeing much of Merida over the break.

"Sounds good." Hiccup nodded.

They walked to Hiccup's place.

They took their time, stopping occasionally. Hiccup had not walked that far yet, and Jack could barely fit everyone and their stuff in his car. Hiccup ignored the throbbing pain in his leg until they arrived at his house. He headed for the couch immediately. Jack plopped down with him, wrapping his arm around Hiccup. Jack was the type who enjoyed public displays of affection much to Hiccup's horror. He didn't mind if they were among friends, but if Jack touched him in public he'd freeze up and turn red.

He was too tired to resist Jack now. He leaned his head on Jack's shoulder.

Jack took Hiccup's hand in his, running his thumb across the back of Hiccup's hand.

"You okay, Baby squirrel?"

Hiccup gave Jack a irritated look. "I thought I told you to never call me that."

"I'll stop saying it when it stops being true."

Hiccup puffed his cheeks out in irritation and Jack laughed. "See? You're totally a Baby squirrel."

Merida flipped through channels while Jim grabbed a snack from the kitchen. "Sorry, but I'm starving."

Hiccup shrugged. "Help yourself. What do you guys want to eat?"

Merida settled on a marathon. "Eh...Something hot."

Rapunzel looked towards the kitchen. "Maybe we should make something."

"What's here to make?" Anna asked.

Rapunzel and Anna headed to the kitchen.

Elsa excused herself from the room to make a phone call.

It was quiet in the living room for a moment. Jim was pretending to be absorbed in the show, as was Merida. Hiccup was minutes from falling asleep. Jack addressed Merida first. "Hey, Red. Question for you: how long are you going to keep this up? I feel like I'm watching Boy meets world or something." He looked at Jim. "Jim. Merida. Please. Do something. This little dance is tiring."

"Yer tiring." Merida retorted. "Which is why yer boyfriend is asleep."

"I'm not asleep. "Hiccup said, eyes closed. "Jack, leave them alone."

"Wise words." Jim said.

Merida nodded. "Aye, you should listen."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Oh please. Hic is hopped up on painkillers. He doesn't know what he's saying."

"I resent that." Hiccup muttered. "Ten points from Slytherin."

Jack sighed. "See? He thinks I'm a wizard."

Hiccup pinched him.

"Ow!"

Hiccup yawned and pushed Jack away.

Jack rubbed his arm as Hiccup rose from the couch. He steadied himself by using Jack's head for support. "I've had enough your lip, Overland. I don't have to take this." He began to wobble away.

"Wait!" Jack reached for him. "Where are you going? Come back!"

Hiccup continued towards the kitchen.

Jack did not move from the couch. He simply reached for Hiccup with one hand, dramatically crying out; "Wait! I didn't mean it shnookums! Come back."

Hiccup continued walking. "We both knew this day was coming for a long time, Jack. It's over."

"You don't mean that!" Jack cried. "Think of everything we've been through!"

Jim clapped. "Wow. And the Academy award goes to..."

Hiccup finally entered the kitchen.

"What're you working on?"

Rapunzel waved a spoon at him. "Soup and garlic bread. We need something else too..."

Hiccup crossed his arms. "Hm.." Something grabbed him from behind, causing him to wobble once more. "Ah!" There was the familiar scent of mint and pine. "Jack…"

Jack leaned his chin on Hiccup's head. "Never grow taller Hiccup. In fact, never drink milk again."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Right. I'll make note of that." He patted Jack's arm. "We're having soup and garlic bread."

"You didn't start cooking yet, did you?" Jack asked.

"No." Anna replied.

"Good, because I'm thinking lasagna."

After another hour for deliberation, and a half hour of preparation, the finally settled on pizza. Jack glanced at the time. It would be getting dark soon. "We should be going soon."

Merida swallowed another bite of pizza. "Ach, yer right."

They cleaned up the living room and said their goodbyes.

One by one they filed out of the Haddock house, until Jack and Hiccup were the only ones left standing on the doorstep.

"Bye guys!" Jack said, waving.

Hiccup gave him a amused look. "Shouldn't you be leaving too?"

Jack looked down at him. "Nope."

Hiccup crossed his arms. "Did you tell them to leave just to increase your chances of making out on the couch?"

"Did it work?" Jack asked.

Hiccup shrugged. "Maybe."

He walked back into the house and returned to the living room.  
Jack followed after him. Before he could sit down, Toothless plopped into Jack's spot.

Valka returned home just then, further disrupting Jack's plans.

"Hello, Jack, HIccup. How was the game?"

"Marvelous, Mrs. Haddock."

"Are y'ready to go to Berk?"

"More than ready." Jack replied. "Tomorrow can't come any faster."

Stoick entered the foyer. "Yes... you make dinner?"

HIccup shook his head. "We had pizza. There's another box left…"

Stoick seemed disappointed. Valka seemed to read this on his face.

"Do you want me to whip something up, Stoick?" She asked.

Stoick stroked his beard. "Yes,dear."

Jack didn't feel like having a stomachache. "Well, now that you guys are home, I should get going." He picked up his duffel bag. "It's getting dark anyway."

"Don't let us keep you." Stoick said.

Valka nudged her husband. "Are you sure you don't want to stay a little longer? Stoick can drive you home."

Jack shook his head. "Nah. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Toothless sprawled himself out on the couch. He yawned.

Hiccup shrugged. "Well, I guess I'll show you to the door."

Jack nodded. "Bye Mr. Haddock, Mrs. Haddock."

By the time Hiccup was in bed, Jack was double-checking his suitcase. It had not been an easy task convincing North to let him spend Christmas somewhere else. Jack gave a long speech about how we was all grown up, and he and North would spend many, many Christmases together. North made him open one present early, just to see the look of delight on his face. Like last year, the Haddocks promised to be back in time for North's New Year's party. Jack didn't spend much time outside Burgess, let alone with Hiccup.

The next day, they would be heading out. From what Hiccup told him, it was going to be a long drive cross-country with hardly any rest stops. Jack wondered what a road trip with the Haddocks would be like .Doing anything with Hiccup would be great. Doing anything with Stoick was tricky.

It was morning before Jack knew it. North had already left to go to the office, so he made a stop at St. North's to say his goodbyes before heading to the Haddock residence. Jim wasn't working that day, so he didn't bother dropping by the Hooligan gym. He had managed to pack all his clothes and supplies into his duffel bag. At Hiccup's request, he had bought a new coat. As he walked, he found himself bombarded with a round of texts.

I hope you survive the trip, Overland. -Merida

Have fun in Berk! Take Pictures!-Rapunzel

HAVE FUN IN BERK! :) ;) XD-Anna

Enjoy your trip to Berk, Jack- Elsa

Take this for good luck-Rapunzel

Rapunzel's text message was accompanied by a picture of Jack sleeping next to Hiccup. From the looks of things they were on a bus, headed for Myrtle beach.

'Myrtle beach...'

Jack would remember that summer for the rest of his life. The fall that followed it wasn't all that wonderful either. That trip had permanently changed Jack. He remembered an earlier time, when his only worries were about himself. There was Jack the jock...Jack the class clown…Jack the future store manager...He hated all of them. But his accident, Gothel, Hiccup's ordeal...they put things into perspective.

It was time to grow up. Jack very little time left to be a class clown. And in the future he would have even less time to be a jock. Sooner or later the St. North's department store would be his responsibility. And in truth, it wasn't just about him anymore. He had Hiccup to think about now. Strong, yet scrawny Hiccup who still needed help walking around school. His parents wouldn't be there to take care of him. That would be Jack's job now.

Jack reached the front door. He rang the doorbell, taking a deep breath.

After a moment, Stoick came and opened the door.

"Hi, Mr. Haddock." Jack said, smiling. "Ready to-"

Stoick slammed the door in his face.

Jack sighed.

The door opened again and it was Hiccup this time.

"Hi, Jack."  
"Hey, adorable."


	2. Departure with the Haddocks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the road

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got to change another one of my favorite httyd lines in here

Stoick walked back upstairs. The white haired menace had returned. Valka was checking over their suitcases in the bedroom. She laughed when she saw his face. "I trust that was Jack at the door."

Stoick groaned. "I don't understand why that kid thinks he needs to come with us."

Valka shook her head. "Stoick, you need t'understand that 'kid' is very important to our Heccup. He probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Jack."

"Heccup might still have two legs if it weren't fer Jack."

Valka frowned. "That's not fair, Stoick. That accident wasn't his fault. You saw the news report. That fool swerved out of nowhere. And don't you think Jack still feels guilty about it anyway?"

Stoick sat on the edge of the bed. "I know. It's just, I thought I was going to lose Heccup. Then, ever since he woke up, he's been spending every moment with Overland. And just when I think I'll be free of Overland for a little while, Heccup invites him to Berk."

"That's how couples are. " Valka pushed a suitcase towards the door. "And I have a feeling its going to be this way for a long time. You'll just have to get used to it...Get used to him."

Jack put his things in the back of the car and returned to the house. He put the car keys on the counter. 

Hiccup was coaxing a sleepy Toothless into his carrier. "Come on, Bud. In you go..."

The sound of the keys hitting the countertop roused Toothless from his sleepiness. He growled and swatted Hiccup's hands away before running upstairs.

Hiccup sighed. "Thanks for nothing, you useless feline."

Jack laughed. "Tough break." He took Hiccup's hands into his own. "Look at all these scratches..."

Hiccup blushed. "There aren't that many."

Jack rubbed circles into the palm of his hand. "If you say so. Let's go get Toothless."

Hiccup nodded and walked towards the staircase. Jack followed close behind him with the carrier. Hiccup and stairs were still far from a good match. Jack felt a jolt of fear every time Hiccup wobbled to the next step. When they reached the landing, Hiccup steadied himself against the wall.

"Are you okay, Hic?"

Hiccup pushed himself away from the wall. "I'm fine." He hated it when Jack treated him like that, but he was glad he cared enough to ask. Sometimes he wondered if pity was what kept them together. He thought about their brief vacation before the accident. Nah. Jack was the same way then.

They found Toothless on the bed looking unamused. Jack took a deep breath. "Okay. How are we going to do this?"

Hiccup crossed his arms. "Close the door."

Stoick walked back out into the hallway. He glanced at Hiccup's closed door. He could hear the two boys inside.

"Ow! Jack, hold it still!"

"Get in there!"

"Ow!"

"Are you bleeding?"

Stoick opened the door. "What in the name of Odin-"

He found Hiccup and Jack struggling to get Toothless into his carrier. With a groan Stoick grabbed the cat by the scruff of his neck and shoved him into the carrier.

Hiccup sighed. "Thanks, Dad."

Stoick grunted. "Are you ready to go? "

His son nodded. "Yeah, it was just Toothless. Our stuff is already in the car."

"Good."

Stoick loaded the remaining luggage into the car. Hiccup strapped down Toothless' carrier in the middle of the back seat. Soon they were off. Jack kept his eye on the passing scenery as the trip began. Each time he left Burgess, it was like his world was expanding little by little. However, the ever changing view became trees after an hour, and Jack was bored. He looked over at Hiccup, who was drawing in his sketchbook. He nudged Hiccup's arm.

"Whatcha doin?"

"Drawing a stormcutter." Hiccup replied, not looking up from his work.

Jack leaned over the carrie to get a better look. "What's it like?'

"Four wings, kind of squished up face…" Hiccup looked up from his book. "I'm still trying to figure it out."

Valka leaned back to see the drawing. Hiccup held it up reluctantly.

"He looks lovely." Valka commented."How big is he?"

"Looks huge." Jack said.

HIccup looked at the drawing. "I dunno...maybe 30 feet long."

"Does this one have a name?" Valka asked.

Hiccup said. "No, I mean he's a stormcutter, but…"

Jack stared at the dragon. "Hm…"

"What about…" Valka paused. "Sky...Cloud...jumper...Cloudjumper! He looks pretty powerful. Like he could leap across the sky."

"Cloudjumper…." Hiccup smiled. "Sounds great."

After a few hours, they pulled into a motel. Jack woke up to Hiccup shaking his arm. It was dark. A glowing sign reading '24 hour motel' blinked above the car. Hiccup unstrapped Toothless's carrier from the car seat. Toothless mewled and stirred in his tiny prison. They filed into the motel quickly. Light snow fell as Jack dragged his feet behind the Haddocks. Judging from the quiet, empty lobby it was late.

Valka ordered two rooms. As the clerk handed them two keeps, Stoick snatched one and put an arm around Jack. "Yer coming with me."

Sleepy, Jack did not object. He didn't think he would be getting much alone time with Hiccup on this trip anyway. They walked up to the second floor and branched off no two pairs. Hiccup was sure Jack would survive the night...maybe.

The room was small and featured two beds. Stoick could hardly fit through the collapsed onto his sheets. Stoick sat on the bed, causing it to tried not to laugh. He heard some shuffling and assumed Stoick was going to bed. He was wrong. Stoick flipped him over and grabbed him by his shirt. "Listen here Overland. You may have Val all buttered up, but I'm not so keen on you, understand? You make one wrong move, one step out of turn, and I'll leave you on the road side."

Terrified, Jack could only nod.

Stoick released him and returned to his bed. Jack rolled onto his side. He wasn't sure he'd be able to sleep after that. He laid awake for what felt like forever.

"Mr. Haddock?"

"..."

Jack wasn't sure if Mr. Haddock was awake or not, but he figured he may as well practice getting his point across.

"Look, I know you don't like me much. I mean, I'm sure I'm not what you had in mind for your son. But, I'm not going anywhere. For one reason or another, Hiccup tolerates me, and I'm not leaving until he gets tired of me."

"Yeah, I know I'm just a kid with no job….But unlike that typical kid, I have a plan. Now I'm thinking in ten year's time I'll be a manager at North's, and making enough money to support the two of us. I'm thinking on buying a nice loft to start, not too far from the office. I mean, Hiccup's village is only going to get bigger. But over time we'll get a nice house and-" Jack was interrupted by Stoick grabbing him and dragging him down the hall to Valka and Hiccup's room.

Valka was up and reading a novel. "Stoick, what brings you here this time of night?"

"Good to see you're up. We're switching roommates."

When Hiccup woke up the next morning he was surprised to see Jack sleeping in the other bed. He looked at the alarm clock. It was still early. Hiccup stretched his arms. Toothless was sitting at the edge of his bed. He yawned at Hiccup and went back to sleep.

Hiccup slowly slid out of bed. He gripped the bed stand as he stood up.

Jack was still fast asleep. Hiccup stared at him. He remembered the last time he had shared a room with Jack. So much had happened since then.

"I didn't mean to do it..."

Jack was talking in his sleep. Hiccup wobbled over to the bed. "Jack?"

Jack began to twist and turn. "I didn't mean to...She, I didn't-"

'He's thinking about the accident again.' Hiccup shook him. "Jack, it's a nightmare. Wake up!"

Jack sat up suddenly, eyes wide. He looked at Hiccup. "Hic..."

Hiccup looked him over. "Are you okay?"

Jack's heart beat slowed, his eyes darted between Hiccup and the bed. "Yeah...I'm fine."

Hiccup placed a hand on Jack's shoulder. "No, you're not."

Jack sighed. "You're right. I'm not sure I can get past this."

Hiccup sat on the edge of the bed. "Well, lets think about this. If I didn't realize Rapunzel was kidnapped, someone else might have or maybe not. Maybe Gothel would have hurt someone else. The point is, we have no way of knowing what would have happened. The only thing we can do is keep moving forward."

"Okay." Jack grinned. "Mr. Robinson."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Here I am, thinking you're all 'emotionally tormented' and you want to make jokes?"

Jack laughed nervously. "Sorry, sorry."

Stoick woke up early. "I don't know what I was thinking leaving those two alone."

Valka shrugged. "I don't think it matters much, Stoick. It's not like Hiccup will wind up pregnant."

Stoick was horrified. "That's it. Get ready to get on the road."


	3. Traveling with Hiccup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This...is Berk.  
> Remember meatmugs? ...k-u-z-c-o! kuzco! kuzco! go! go!

After everyone got settled in the car, Jack decided to catch up on some much needed sleep. Stoick was still reeling from Valka's 'pregnancy' comment. Hiccup was watching Jack carefully. He was worried that Jack's nightmares would go on for a long,long time. They pulled into a diner for a early breakfast. They took a booth by the front door. A waitress came by quickly and offered them the local special: a meat mug. Jack was still drowsy, and nodded off before his order could arrive. Stoick excused himself from the table.

Hiccup stared out the window.

"Jack's really tired." Valka said.

"He was having nightmares, so I don't think he got much sleep." Hiccup explained.

"Oh, that's too bad." Valka responded.

The waitress re-appeared with their orders.   
She placed a plate of waffles in front of the sleeping Jack. "Wow, I didn't realize you waited that long..." The waitress said before walking off.

Hiccup touched Jack's shoulder. "Jack. Jack, wake up."

Jack stirred from his sleep. "..."

Hiccup sighed. He cut into the waffles and offered Jack a forkful. "Here."

Jack blinked at him before eating off his fork.

Stoick loomed above them. "I see our food's here."

Jack nearly choked.'Why doesn't he make any noise when he walks?! He's like a giant viking batman.'

Jack fed himself for the rest of the meal, not making eye contact with anything but his plate.

Stoick had ordered the mysterious meat mug. He sipped and chewed every now and then, sending Jack scathing looks. Hiccup was starting to get annoyed with his father's behavior. 'Why can't he just be an adult about this? '

After all, they were a couple now. It was still a strange concept to Hiccup after seventeen years of being single...but it was still a fact.

'For whatever reason Jack and I are together now. If my Dad can't accept that, I'll have to make him accept it.'

He offered Jack another forkful of waffles. Jack reluctantly ate it, glancing at Stoick, who was in the middle of a staring match with Hiccup.

Valka snickered behind a cup of tea. 'Like father, like son.' She wondered who would give in first.

Jack's phone rang, he excused himself from the table and headed outside. When he was out of earshot, Stoick addressed his son.

"You mind telling me what that was about, Heccup?"

"You mind telling me why you've been glaring daggers at Jack since we got in the road?"Hiccup responded, arms crossed.

Stoick's voice went up an octave. "Who do y'think yer talkin' to?"

"I wonder." Hiccup replied. "Is it Stoick the vast or Stoick my father?"

'There it is, that famous Haddock temper.' Valka said looking away.

Meanwhile, Jack was on the phone with Rapunzel.

"Did you guys make it to Berk yet?" She asked. "They said that part of the country is gonna get hit with a snow storm!"

"Yikes." Jack looked at the sky. It was full of heavy gray clouds. "We aren't there yet, but we'll probably get there by tonight."

"I hope so." Rapunzel said.

Jack could hear the concern in her voice, so he decided to change the topic. "How are things over there with you?"

"Amazing! We're throwing this huge party for Elsa-slash-new year's. All these people are coming...I mean, I know you guys can't go cause of North's new year's party but I still wish you could come! Oh, and get this! "  
This guy named Hans has been hanging around the house the last two days. He goes to college with Elsa. He's really funny. I think he likes Anna.  
"Yeah? That's great. How are your cousin's doing? I remember you telling me about Elsa making the dean's list."

" 's going to be interning at the mayor's office-that's what the party is for. The preparations are going well. Anna's getting a little carried away with the streamers I think. I mean, December is still far from over."

"You're right." Jack shivered. His coat was only half zipped. He tugged gently at the scarf Hiccup made him. "Have you heard from Merida?"  
"I don't think the DunBroch's have left Burgess yet. I got a text saying Jim was coming over for dinner. It's only a matter of time before Elinor starts making them matching sweaters."

Jack laughed. "I'm pretty sure that's what they're getting for Christmas. But I think Jim knows that. He seems like the type to be in it for the long haul."

"Yeah. And he's great with the triplets. They're a good match…" She stopped talking.

Jack got the feeling that Rapunzel felt like a fifth wheel when they hung out together. Jim and Merida weren't exactly an item, but they did seem like they were off in their own little world. As for Hiccup and himself...Well, Hiccup was adorable, so there was no helping his desire to latch on to him. Rapunzel claimed she didn't have feelings for Hiccup anymore, but Jack wondered about that. After all, if it wasn't for Hiccup she might still be up in that attic. And if it weren't for Jack, maybe Gothel would be…

A sharp pain jolted through Jack's chest. He felt twice as cold as he was, standing outside a diner, on vacation. What right did he have to be here now? Where would he be if things had gone differently?

"It's pretty cold out here, Goldie." Jack zipped up his jacket. "I'm gonna go back in and finish breakfast." He shuddered.

"Okay, I'll let you go." Rapunzel responded. "Tell everyone I said hi!"

"Okay, Goldie. Talk to you later."

"Bye Jack!"

"Bye."

He hung up and headed back inside. What he found was Stoick and Hiccup in the middle of a shouting match.

"I'LL TREAT YOU LIKE AN ADULT WHEN YOU START ACTING LIKE AN ADULT!"

"AND I'LL START LISTENING TO YOU WHEN YOU SOUNDING LIKE AN ADULT!"

Valka looked up at Jack from her empty teacup. "Oh Jack dear, finish yer breakfast so we can get back on the road."

"Uh.." Jack reluctantly sat down next to Hiccup. "Sure...Rapunzel says hello."

Hiccup smiled. "Oh, that's great."

Soon they were back on the road. The ride was relatively quiet, as Stoick and Hiccup weren't talking. Hiccup looked out the window. The snowfall seemed to be getting heavier. Soon the little flakes were big flurries. "I think we should stop for the night." Hiccup said. "While we can still see the road."

"Rapunzel said this area is going to get hit with a snow storm." Jack added.

"Nonsense." Stoick replied. "If we keep going we can be there by morning."

Valka squinted out at the road. "I dunno, Stoick. The boys might be right. We can't drive if we can't see."

Stoick growled and muttered something under his breath. He continued to drive.

Hiccup crossed his arms. "You are going to stop right?"

Stoick didn't reply.

"Dad?" Hiccup said.

The car swerved as Stoick moved it out the way of a car. Stoick beeped his horn. "Damn fool was on the wrong side of the road..." Visibility was getting worse.

It wasn't long before they were checking in to another motel.

As Hiccup and Jack settled into their room, Jack spoke.

"You mind telling me what happened between you and your Dad?"

Hiccup let Toothless out of his cage. "Nothing happened...Dad was just being stubborn. Again."

Jack sat on the edge of his bed. "About what? When I came back into the diner I thought you to were going to start wrestling or something."

"That's the problem. When Dad gets mad, he stops acting like a parent and more like...a professional wrestler. Come Toothless." He put the cat on a leash. "Let's go for a walk."

Jack stood and yawned. "Hang on, I'll come with you."

Hiccup shrugged. "It sounds like you need to get some sleep Jack. Stay here, I'll be right back."

With that, Hiccup and Toothless left. Jack supposed they would be alright...unless Toothless started running...and Hiccup couldn't keep up...and fell...

Hiccup was barely down the hall when Jack came running out of his room.

"Ah! What !?" Hiccup asked.

Jack was relieved. "Oh good, it didn't happen yet."

"What didn't happen?" Hiccup asked.

"The fall and the...oh, never mind. Let's just walk."

Hiccup shrugged. "Okay, sure."

They walked down the hall and downstairs. Toothless trotted happily, sniffing everything he passed. Jack tried to press a little harder. "So...Back to you and your Dad. Getting your point across to him is hard, isn't it? "

"Yeah." Hiccup nodded. "Sometimes when I talk he doesn't hear me at all. Most of the time I don't bother arguing with him. It's just easier that way, but..."Hiccup paused.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked. "Is it your leg?"

Hiccup frowned. "What? No. I'm going to go talk my Dad."

"Okay." Jack took the leash from Hiccup. "I'll take Toothless back to the room."

Hiccup found his way to his parents' room. He stopped in front of the door. After taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door. "Dad?"

Stoick opened the door. "Son?"

Hiccup twisted his shirt with his hands. "Uh...I just wanted to...um…"

Stoick opened the door wider. "Come in, son."

Hiccup stepped into the room. "I just...I wanted to say, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you back at the diner. I know you have my best interests at heart, and it seems like things are moving a little fast...But I'm okay. I can make my own decisions, but that doesn't mean I won't listen to your opinion." He rubbed his arm.

Valka smiled. 'For a moment there, I thought we had a little Stoick in the making, but it looks like Heccup knows when to throw in the towel.'

"I'm...also sorry." Stoick rubbed his neck. "I know yer old enough to make yer own decisions. Everythin' just happened so fast."

"Just know that no matter what happens, yer father and I will be there for you." Valka added.

Hiccup smiled. "Thanks."

When Hiccup returned to his room, Jack and Toothless were already asleep.

"Thanks for waiting up, guys."

They woke up early the next morning.

"How far are we now?" Jack asked.

"Not very." Hiccup said. "We'll be in Alaska in a few hours. After that we'll take a boat ride to Berk."

They chatted idly on and off before the car made it's way to a dock. The drove right on to the back of the ship. It was rigged down. The ship itself was of decent size, and able to carry at least two dozen people. The sky was tinged with pink and gold. Jack check the time on his phone. "But it's only three thirty."  
Hiccup shrugged. "It's winter. Daylight hours are over."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

Jack leaned over the railing and stared ahead. "..."

There were tiny islands along the coast. He could see different animals bunching together on them. He began to squint as the sunrise came the end. A large mountain-like form seemed to rise from the waters ahead. "So far there's been tiny islands..otters…" He pointed ahead. "What's this?"

Hiccup followed his line of sight. "This? This, is Berk."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter should be hella long. Hella long I tell you.


	4. Arrival with the Haddocks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to expand the lore of Berk that I barely scraped at in the last fic's 7th chapter. Of course, HTTYD2 came out since then. I got my hands on a copy of The Art of How to train your dragon 2 in the name of research! There's a bunch of things added in from both movies to make Berk feel like a place, but I also added some stuff that isn't movie canon. Hopefully you'll feel like you're seeing Berk for the first time, just like Jack.
> 
> Not as long as I wanted. More very soon. Sorry.

As the boat neared closer, they passed a large statue. It was a giant Viking, carved from stone, and holding a shield and sword. Flames erupted from the giant's mouth, lighting up the seas near the island.  
"This is Berk." Hiccup said. "It's twelve days north of hopeless and a few degrees south of freezing to death. It's located solidly on the Meridian of Misery."

"It doesn't seem that bad. Wow." Jack exclaimed, as they passed the floating giant. "That, is amazing. How old is that thing?"

"Pretty old." Hiccup replied. "Like most things in Berk."

A long wooden staircase climbed one side of Berk, connected to a rock formation jetting out of the sea. At it's top stood a round building, bound together from wood and woven fabric. Above the small building stood a proud windmill, held up by three poles. It's dragon-wing shaped blades spun slowly.

"I think I'm gonna like it then." Jack said, smiling.

"Great."

Hiccup wondered about that. Jack wasn't living in the lap of luxury, but he was pretty well off. He pondered how long it would be before Jack missed the comforts of modern life. Berk didn't have wifi. Or hot showers. Cable had only been introduced twelve years ago.

They neared the docks. Proud old ships with carved serpent heads were forever docked at the port. Fishers brought in their catches, and small wooden ships went in and out of the docks. Small lanterns were lit along the shore as the sun began to set.

"Look at the work put into those ships." Jack took a few pictures with his phone. "You don't see craftsmanship like that anymore."

"You have a good eye." Valka said, standing next to Jack. "I've been all around the world and never seen anything like Berk's ships."

The boat docked. Stoick drove them up a snowy, dirt packed road and into town. Hiccup looked out the window. The familiar small statues of vikings and monsters sat on either side of the road. They weren't even in town yet, and Jack was sure he was going to like this place.   
Burgess was great and all, but there was no sense of history there beyond the hotel and stores. As a person, he really didn't have a sense of 'culture' either. North did take the time to teach Jack about his language and heritage. Jack thought it was a nice gesture, but at the end of the day he was still...something else.

Hiccup, however, had a place he came from. And it wasn't any old sleepy american town. It was like visiting another time, altogether. The food was different, the people were different, even the animals were different. As they drove up to town, the Haddocks were welcomed by the sight of small brick houses with tall iron fences. Tall telephone and electric poles connected them, as they were all spread out.

A old woman with a sheepdog herded a flock across the sheep, slowly delaying their arrival. Jack had never seen such a thing. True, he had visited the zoo when he was younger, but it was different from seeing them so close. Stoick waved to the old woman as she passed with her sheep. "Hello, Ethel!"

The woman waved a tiny shaky hand before continuing on her way. Stoick drove on. People waved and called to the car as it continued up the road.   
Jack tugged on Hiccup's sleeve."What's that thing?"  
Jack was referring to a large structure, built to resemble a tree. It was taller than all the houses near it. The majority of the structure was wood, and decorated by weapons made of metal. At it's base there were old appliances and other used items.

"That's our main tribute for the holiday, Snoggletog. As thanks to the gods we burn our used, broken items-Originally it was our weapons used in hunting dragons. The Gods watch over us for the next year if we do this. Now it's stuff used to make life easier. Anyway, we set the whole thing on fire-- returning the spent energy stored in the stuff, and make way for the new stuff in big egg shells."

"So that's the thing you mentioned from last year. Egg shells?" Jack repeated.

"Well… the gods would place our 'gifts' in the broken shells of baby dragon eggs. We put them back together, and paint them."

"What's that up ahead?"

"Huh?" Hiccup chuckled "Oh, that's our house. It's the oldest standing home in Berk."

Standing out front was a larger group of people with lanterns and banners. They cheered as Stoick brought the car to a stop. As they climbed out of the car, they were swarmed by family members. Hiccup let himself be pulled into a bear hug by his uncle Spitelout.

"Good to see you you again Stoick, Hiccup." His eyes widened when he saw Valka. "Nice to see you again, Valka. As lovely as ever."

Freida fainted and Snotlout rolled his eyes. "Ugh, Mom. not again."

Hiccup found himself in front of Snotlout and his unconscious aunt. "Hey, Snotlout."  
Snoutlout glanced downward. "Hey..Nice uh, leg…"

Hiccup rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Uh..Yeah. Oh, Jack this is my Uncle Spitelout, Aunt Frieda, cousin Snoutlout…"

Astrid, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut pushed their way to the front of the crowd.

"Don't forget about us." Astrid said, smiling. "Nice to see you again, Hiccup." She offered her hand to Jack. "Astrid Hofferson, nice to meet you."  
Jack took her hand hand, smiling. "Jack Overland."

Fishlegs looked between them. "Oh wow, that must be weird huh, Hiccup. Your boyfriend and your first crush meeting for the first time."

Hiccup froze.

Stoick and Valka were busy talking with the others.

Jack locked eyes with Astrid, who looked at Hiccup, who slowly turned to Fishlegs.

Hiccup stared at Fishlegs. 'Why do you hate me? This is 'cause I would'nt LARP with you, isn't it?'

"First crush, huh?" Jack gave Astrid a second look as she released his hand.

"Apparently." Astrid said, shrugging.

"And they have so much in common." Fishlegs continued. "They're both athletic, and tall, and built and-"

'The Gods have forsaken me, haven't they?' Hiccup's eye twitched.

"I'm Ruffnut." Ruffnut said, offering Jack her hand and winking, thus interrupting Fishlegs.

"Name's Tuffnut." Tuffnut said, crossing his arms and looking smug.

Hiccup felt a heavy tap on the shoulder. He turned to see Gobber.

"Heccup, look at you back in Berk. Not all in one piece but enough of ye."

Hiccup smiled. "Hey. Oh, Jack this is Gobber."

Jack turned his attention away from Astrid to the blonde giant. So this was Gobber, the one who Valka and Hiccup used to back up their arguments. He was somewhat intimidating, but Jack recognized him from a few of Stoick's matches. He offered Jack a hook, which Jack jumped back from.

"Oh, er whoops." Gobber offered him the other hand. "Sorry about that." He offered Gobber his hand. "Here, less pointy."  
Jack laughed, shaking his hand. "Nice meeting you Gobber."

"Let's move the festivities to the food." Valka said, patting her husband's arm.

"Yer right dear." Stoick nodded, raising his voice. "Alright, give us some space. We'll see you all the feast!"

They entered the Haddock home. It wasn't as warm as Jack hoped, but much more impressive. Just like their home in Burgess, it was full of knick knacks and wrestling memorabilia. Stoick started fiddling with the furnace, and Valka plopped onto a couch covered in animal fur. Hiccup let Toothless out of his cage, and the small cat ran for the stairs.  
Hiccup followed behind him, bags weighing him down. The large wooden stairs hardly creaked. The house was like some cross between a studio apartment and a hut. The living room and kitchen were connected. The second landing had two bedrooms divided by a wall and hidden from view by curtains instead of doors.

Jack followed Hiccup and Toothless to the second bedroom. Hiccup's room was set up the same way it was in Burgess, if not smaller. There were drawings plastered on the walls, obviously done by a much younger Hiccup. A wooden desk sat in one corner. The bed was covered in a large quit, depicting vikings, dragons, boats, and stormy seas.

"Wow...This is amazing." Jack said, tracing a large wave.

Hiccup set his bags down and looked in a small fabric closet by the curtain. "What, the quilt?"

Jack handed him his coat. "Yeah."

"Great Gran-Gran made that for Grandpa when he was a kid. He gave it to Mom, and she gave it to me."

"So its basically a heirloom."

"Yeah, basically."

"Are your grandparents still alive?"

"No. Well Dad's parents are dead, but Mom's mom is alive. She lives with a aunt somewhere in Missouri."

"Do you ever see her?"

"Nope. We don't. But they send cards for Christmas."

"Hm..." Jack sat on the edge of the bed. Toothless nudged him, and he pet his head.

Hiccup stopped putting his things away and looked at Jack. "Jack?"

Jack was staring at the floor.

"Jack?" Hiccup called again, louder this time.

"Huh?"

"Are you...tired?"

Jack rubbed his eyes. "No. Well, I guess."

"We have a little time before the feast starts. Why don't you take a nap or something?"

Jack flopped back onto the bed. "Great idea, Mom."

He covered his face with one arm and mumbled something.

"What was that?" Hiccup said, coming closer to the bed. Jack repeated the mumble and Hiccup came closer. "What-"

Jack grabbed Hiccup by his wrist and pulled him down onto the bed.

"Ah! Jack!"

Jack chuckled and turned his face to see Hiccup's. He was not amused.

"Don't look so pouty."

Hiccup sighed as Jack let go of his wrist. "Idiot."

"If you're going to give me a nickname, Hic you have to be more creative."

"Fine." Jack was close. Close enough to make Hiccup feel a little nervous. "How about nutcase?"

"Nah. Try again." Jack moved a little closer, closing the space between them.

"Uh..."Hiccup looked up at the ceiling. "What's wrong with Jack?"

"Nothing." Jack replied, frowning. "What's wrong with Astrid?"

Hiccup scooted away. "W-what!?"

Jack turned on his side, facing Hiccup. "You never really mentioned her before."

Hiccup sat up. "That's...There was no reason to!"

"Really? You sure you don't still like her?"

"Of course I don't!" Hiccup was getting more flustered by the second.

"Hm...She seemed pretty surprised when she heard you liked her. How come you never asked her out?"

"I had a crush on her when I was eight! Plus, I was pretty sure nothing was going to happen between us, and then we moved away-"

"But you're here now." Jack rolled over onto his stomach. "If I wasn't here...If you left me back in Burgess...would you ask her out?"

"N-No..."

"I heard some hesitation there."

"I would NOT ask her out."

"Why?"

"Because..."

Jack rolled back over and looked at Hiccup. "Because...?"

"You're important to me." Hiccup said, looking him in the eye. "I would never do something like that to you."

Jack smiled. "Promise."

Hiccup nodded. "Promise."

Jack frowned. "Hiccup..."

"Wh-Hey!"

Jack yanked Hiccup down again, knocking the air out of him. Jack laughed, straddling him. "You better keep that promise."

Hiccup blushed. "I will."

Valka slowly climbed the stairs. She cleared her throat as she stood in front of the curtain to Hiccup's room. "Boys, we're getting ready to go to the great hall."

Jack sighed. "Well, looks like our festivities will have to wait."

As he rolled off of Hiccup, the smaller boy shuddered. The last thing he needed was his mother walking in on them. Maybe sharing a room with Jack wasn't such a good idea...Jack winked at him as he pushed the curtain away. Then again...Maybe it was a great idea.

Valka pushed the curtain aside. "There y'are. Ready to head out?"

Hiccup sat up. "Oh, uh...yup. Heading out sounds, great."

Jack retrieved his coat from the closet. "So, what's happening at the Great Hall, exactly?"

Hiccup handed Jack a pair of gloves. "Well, since we came back it's time for a hero's welcome, plus...Snoggletog. So a lot of eating, dancing...more eating...drinking...Half of Berk's gonna have a hangover tomorrow. Of course the party won't stop for three days."

'The more I hear, the more I'm glad I came.' Jack thought.

They headed back down into town on foot. Berk seemed to built upward towards the mountain. The air was cold, and the snow they walked on hid a layer of solid ice. A layer that Hiccup slipped on as soon as they left the house. Jack tried to grab him in vain, as he too tumbled down into the snow. Luckily he hit the ground first, acting as a cushion for HIccup. The added weight made him hit the ice. Hard.

Jack hissed in pain. "Damn…"

"Ah!" Hiccup tried to sit up. "Jack! Are you okay?"

Jack sucked air in through his clenched teeth. "Man...That's some hard ice…"

He looked at Hiccup's worried, trembling form. "Aw...Don't make that face, Hic. At least not when I can't take a picture."

Valka helped Hiccup to his feet, and Stoick pulled Jack up from the ice.

Hiccup checked his prosthetic. "I have a feeling I'll be falling a lot. I have to see Gobber tomorrow."

Valka dusted the snow off of Jack's back. "You'll be needing better boats, dear. Berk turns into a block of ice this time of year. You'll be sliding all over the island without the proper gear."

"Yes Ma'am." Jack said, sighing. He back stung, but he wasn't about to worry Hiccup more by announcing it. "Definitely." He took Hiccup's arm. "Shall we?"

They slowly walked to the large oval building by the town square. A tall totem pole stood outside, carved with the faces of arctic monsters.

"Well, that's impressive." Jack said, resisting the urge to touch his back.

Hiccup looked him in the eye. "Are you sure you're okay Jack?"

Jack blinked. "What? Listen cuddleface, I'm glad you're concerned about me, but you're the one having a hard time walking."

Hiccup loosened his grip on Jack's arm. "I've fallen on this ice more times than I care to admit. I'll be fine."

Valka patted her son on the arm. "Of course son. Now let's go in."


	5. Dancing with the Haddocks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jack gets a little culture

Jack followed Hiccup into the hall. Most of Berk's residents were already inside. A small band played folk music that somehow seemed to echo throughout the wide open space. Two long tables sat on one side of the hall, with food piled high.

As the Haddocks +1 one took their seats, Spitelout banged on the table with his fists, causing the noise to recede. "Tonight we celebrate the return of Stoick and his kin, and the beginning of Snoggletog!" There was cheering and shouting. Hiccup sighed. He could tell by the look on Stoick's face that he wanted to be here more than anything. As Spitelout wrapped up his speech, everyone was seated. Gotti broke the first piece of bread, signifying it was time to eat.

Food was snatched and goblets were grabbed as Jack realized manners weren't on the menu tonight. Each time he reached for something, someone else took it. "Uhhh...Hic..."

Hiccup jabbed his fork into a large piece of meat and yanked it away from from another plate. "Here, Jack." He dropped it on Jack's plate. "You have to be quick or you won't get any."

"I don't think quick is the word. Ruthless or determined maybe..." Jack replied.

Hiccup laughed and shoved someone's hand away, securing two squares of food. He offered one to Jack.

"Thanks...what is this?"

"Potato and anchovy casserole. Oh, don't shudder like that. It's better than it sounds, I promise."

"If you say so..."

Hiccup was correct of course. It was delicious.

The next thing he knew Hiccup was sticking more things onto his plate. "Whoa, there. What's this stuff?"

"Pinnekjøtt-uh...smoked mutton. Ribs, Rakfisk...Salmon and baked Haddock."

"Ohhh. I knew Haddock was a fish, but I never tried it before. Well I never tried any of this-"

Hiccup smacked Snotlout's fork away with his knife. "That's not fair, Snotlout."

Snotlout snorted. " Nothing is fair on the battlefield. Living on the mainland has made you soft."

Astrid stole a piece of baked salmon from Snoutlout. "Watch your own plate."

"Wha? Hey! Babe I would've shared if you just asked-"

"I suggest you eat what you can." Hiccup said.

Jack pulled his plate closer. "Riiiight."

After the meal was finished the tables were pushed aside for dancing. Partners swung each other around, arm in arm, enclosed by a circle of onlookers. Occasionally, a new dancer was pulled in from the circle. Valka and Stoick danced in one corner, not letting go of each other.

Jack and Hiccup stood in front of the circle, watching.

"That was some feast. I don't think I've eaten so much." Jack patted his stomach. "And I never saw your Dad smile so much either. Who knew the Hairy Hooligan was such a good dancer?"

Hiccup nodded. "Dad is a man of many talents."

Jack looked at Hiccup. He had a seen a different side of him today, that was for sure. He could definitely see where the Dragon obsession came from. Everywhere he looked there were vikings and dragons. It was nothing short of amazing to see a place like this still existed.

Jack was caught off guard when Tuffnut grabbed him from the circle. He found himself arm and arm with Astrid.

"Oh, hey there...Jack."

They spun around.

"Having fun?" She asked.

Jack smiled. "A blast. This place is awesome."

Astrid smiled back. "Glad to hear it."

A sense of dread came over Hiccup when he saw them together. It was bad enough that Fishlegs had announced his former crush to all of Berk. He wasn't sure if Jack was serious or not. Jack had been a little fragile when he first woke up at the hospital.

It would probably be some time for him to get back to being his old self. The current Jack was a little smaller, jumpier, and even thinner. Then there were the nightmares. According to North, Jack had them often. That bothered Hiccup. As much as Jack was told it wasn't his fault, he knew Jack still thought it was. Hiccup hoped sometime away from Burgess would help Jack relax.

So far, he seemed to be having a good time.

Jack let himself be swung from partner to partner until the music suddenly became softer, and most of the villagers left the dance floor. Hiccup was pulling him away suddenly, as a few couples began slow-dancing.

"This song is For the dancing and the dreaming."

"What's that mean?" They were back in the crowd.

Hiccup rubbed his arm. "Its kind of like a declaration. You dance with the person you like...The first time you do it, you recite it."

"Recite what? I don't-"

" I'll swim and sail on savage seas... with ne'er a fear of drowning. And gladly ride the waves of life if you will marry me... "

Just saying it made Hiccup turn slightly red. He continued:

" No scorching sun, nor freezing cold will stop me on my journey...If you will promise me your heart, and love for all eternity...And...uh..."

"Go on." Jack said, smirking.

Hiccup could tell he was being baited. "Your partner says: My dearest one, my darling dear,your mighty words astound me...But I've no need of mighty deeds when I feel your arms around me."

"But I would bring you rings of gold,I'd even sing you poetry-" The next thing Hiccup knew, he was being shoved back into the dance.

"If yer going to do it, y'hafta be in the circle." A man told him.

"No, wait! I wasn't-" Hiccup began to protest, but the crowd was egging him on.

" And I would keep you from all harm if you would stay beside me! I have no use for rings of gold,I care not for your poetry..."

"I only want your hand to hold-" Valka sang.

"Go on Heccup!" Gobber yelled. "Tell 'em!"

Jack took his hand. "I'm all ears."

"Ugh..." Hiccup sighed. " I only want you near me-"

"To love and kiss, to sweetly hold!For the dancing and the dreaming!" The couples chorused. "Through all life's sorrows and delights,I'll keep your love inside me!"

" I'll swim and sail on savage seas with ne'er a fear of drowning!And gladly ride the waves of life If you will marry meeee!"

"Eeeeeeeeeeeee!" Gobber bellowed. "I'm still goiiiiiiiing-"

There was laughter and more dancing as the song came to an end. Hiccup ignored the slaps on his back and cheers from the crowd. Fishlegs' loud declaration had been enough. He could feel his face burning.

Jack hugged him then. "Sorry, Hic. Your Mom already told me what that song was. I only wanted to see if you would sing it."

"You're such a jerk." Came Hiccup's muffled reply from Jack's jacket.


	6. Christmas?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a pink lake

They returned to the table as the music died down. There was shoving and laughter as Hiccup was congratulated by his friends.

"You've got some serious guts cousin." Snoutlout said. "Obviously I coulda done that, but there are so many eligible ladies here in town and-"

Astrid elbowed him. "Good job, Hiccup."

They sat together at one end of the table.

"So.." Tuffnut addressed Jack. "Are you guys getting married, or…?"

Jack shrugged."I'm thinking an October wedding, but we have time to discuss it."

Hiccup laughed nervously and glanced down the table. Stoick was in the middle of a discussion with a few of the villagers. He didn't see his father's face during the dance. He was sure Stoick didn't approve, and wasn't looking forward to the backlash. Valka was here, so he was sure Stoick wouldn't make a scene. Hopefully.

Jack rubbed his stomach. "Man I'm stuffed. I'm ready to let the 'itis' take over and let me sleep."

"No way!" Fishlegs exclaimed. "We didn't even make it to the second course yet!"

Jack looked at Hiccup. "Second course?"

Hiccup nodded. "I told you. We're gonna have a lot of eating, dancing... and more eating."

"I thought you were exaggerating."

"Nope. Look, the next course is coming."

There was cheering as Spitelout and Stoick began grappling over a plate.

"What're they fighting over?" Jack asked.

"Smalahove."

"Riiiight. And that would be...wait. is that what I think it is?"

"Its a sheep's head."

Jack crossed his arms over his stomach. "Welp, I'm done for the evening."

By the time they left it was nearly midnight. Stoick stumbled slightly, drunk. Valka steered him towards the house as Hiccup and Jack walked behind.

Jack walked with one arm around Hiccup, who clung to him relentlessly. A cold wind was blowing through Berk, and threatening to blow the two teens away.

It was times like this Jack wished he was a little more built. Tiny icicles swatted at his face. Hiccup wobbled every now and then. His eyes met Jack's. "Don't worry. I'll talk to Gobber tomorrow about my leg."

By the time they returned to the Haddock residence, Jack was frozen. The Haddocks themselves didn't seem to bothered by the weather. Of course, all three of them had grown up in this icy wonderland. Jack tried to picture a young Hiccup trudging all through this snow. It was a funny image. Stoick was fiddling with the furnace as Valka brought down a set of blankets.

Jack sat huddled with Hiccup on the couch. Toothless was making himself comfortable in Hiccup's lap.

"Wow, Jack. You're freezing."

Jack rubbed his arms and Valka handed him a set of blankets.

"Make yerself comfortable Jack. We're gettin' up early tomorrow to divvy up the work."

Hiccup scooped Toothless up into his arms and stood."Well, have a good night."

Jack pouted. "Whaaa?"

"G'night boys." Valka said, going up the stairs.

"G'Night." Stoick said, nodding.

As the Haddocks disappeared upstairs, Jack tried to make himself comfortable. It was quiet and dark, which was usually a good setting for sleep, but the cold air made it hard. In truth Jack loved the cold. It numbed everything. Lately, however he found no need to be numbed. There was no pain he was trying to escape. There was no need for a facade. There was just Hiccup. Hiccup with his art, and his village, and his family.

Family was a difficult topic for Jack. He had renounced his parents, let their faces fade from his memory. He agreed to not speak with Sophie, though he still watched her every now and then. Sometimes he wondered if his family was bigger. Did he have an Aunt or Uncle? Was there a little grandmother somewhere? Cousins down south or across the sea?

He clutched the blanket in an effort to keep warm, then let go. Maybe there was a reason to be numb after all. He tossed and turned for an hour before giving up. 'I'm never gonna get to sleep at this rate...' He sat up and wrapped the blanket around himself. 'Hiccup's quilt looked really warm...'

Upstairs, Hiccup was already dreaming.

He was riding on the back of a magnificent Nightfury, surrounded by other dragon riders. They charged towards a dragon of immense height and girth. It was almost as big as Berk itself. Balls of flame were shot at the beast, as the vikings of Berk defended their homeland. The mighty beast opened its mouth, sucking them towards it. Hiccup tried to steer his dragon away as a icy wind sliced through him.

He opened his eyes, gasping. Jack was lying next to him, shivering. Hiccup sighed. He touched Jack's forehead. 'He's ice cold...' He put his arms around Jack. 'Like Niflheim's tundra...'

Jack inhaled deeply then, and latched on to Hiccup's shirt. "So warm..." His voice vibrated through Hiccup's shoulder, causing his heart to race. He patted Jack's head. "Go to sleep."

"Help me. " Jack replied nuzzling him.

"What do you me to do, Jack?"

Jack laughed. "That's a long list, Hic. Let's start with this."

He pulled Hiccup even closer, burying his face in the crook of Hiccup's neck.

Hiccup woke up hours later with Jack still in his arms. He smiled. Jack's usually perfect hair was messed up, and his lips were parted, as if he were talking in his sleep. Hiccup ruffled his hair. 'He's such a doofus.' He released Jack slowly and removed Jack's fingers from his shirt. Sitting up, Hiccup reached for his phone.

"It's already six..."

His parents would be up any minute. He shook Hack gently. "Hey."

Jack mumbled something, but didn't move.

"Jack..." He tried for a different approach. Hiccup moved the hair away from Jack's forehead. He kissed him there, lightly. "Hey."

"Try again." Jack mumbled.

Hiccup shook him again. "Wake up Jack, its Christmas."

Jack opened his eyes then. He looked yanked on Hiccup's shirt, pulling him back down. With a little pushing , he managed to get on top of Hiccup. There was a dangerous look in his eye.

"Can I open my present now?"

Hiccup swallowed hard. 'I forgot who I was dealing with.'

"We have to get up soon...Sunrise is in two hours."

"Sunrise?" Jack shifted slightly.

Hiccup tried to keep his composure. "Yeah...Sunrise."

"What time is it?"

"Six, which means Dad and Mom will be up soon."

Jack squinted and looked at the curtain. The room was still dark with exception of the light of Hiccup's phone.

"A lot can happen between now and soon, Hic."

Hiccup looked off to the side. "I suppose..."

Jack started with Hiccup's neck, kissing it repeatedly. Hiccup shivered, trying to come up with a solution to the situation. Of course thinking was a little difficult at the moment, given Jack's...skill.

Jack's tongue trailed over his collarbone. Hiccup's breath hitched. No. No. This wasn't good. "J-Jack..."

"Yeah?" He replied, his hands wandering under Hiccup's shirt.

"You...can't..."

Jack's laughter vibrated through him. "Can't what?"

"I mean...My parents…"

The floor creaked. Jack stopped his onslaught.

"Right.."Jack whispered. He scooted away, got off the bed, and headed for the closet.

"Heccup! Are you awake!?" Valka called from beyond the curtain.

"Yes!" Hiccup replied. "Just..give me a minute!"

"SO, what's the plan for today?" Jack asked.

"Work." Hiccup replied. "As the family of the chief of Berk, we do odd jobs around town. We'll stop by noon, which is why we get up so early. There's a board with request sat Uncle Spitelout's. We'll divvy up the work there."

"Work" Jack cringed at the word. "You'd think being in the chief's family would have better perks."

Hiccup shook his head. "  
Nope. You become responsible for all the little problems of Berk."

"Hic, there's a pink lake in Australia."

"Jack...You really missed the internet, didn't you?"

They were down by the docks again. After stopping at Spitelout's for breakfast, it had been decided that Hiccup would have fishing duty for the day. Jack had already called North with wishes for the new year,l as well as Rapunzel and Merida. Each of them seemed to be having a fun time on their respected vacations. Down by the docks Jack's wireless connection was a lot stronger, so he had been bombarded with a bunch of texts when they set foot on the dock.

Jack had never gone fishing before, so the idea of doing so didn't' bother him as much. Berk's number one export, as it turned out, was fish. The air was salty, and the seas looked promising. 'Not a standard christmas, but I think I'm going to love this.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> itis is a word. Don't start with me. Look it up.


	7. Christmas with the Haddocks

Fishing was not as exciting as Jack thought. They rode in a boat at least two miles from the island, making a circle around Berk. A net had been attached to the back of the boat, and dragged along down six feet, under the water.

Snotlout was at the wheel, looking smug.

Jack watched Berk's dock go by for the third time. It was then he uttered a sentence he would regret for the rest of his stay. "So...How fast does this boat go, anyway?"

Snotlout grinned. "You wanna see?"

Hiccup, who had been sketching the island in a corner, looked up. "Wait, what?"

Snotlout pulled down a lever and the engine roared. Waves sprayed onto the boat, soaking them with ice cold water. Jack tried to hold onto the rail, his grip slipped repeatedly.

Snotlout laughed and brought the boat to a stop. "That fast. Satisfied?"

Jack shivered. "Jesus, what the-" He turned. Hiccup was gone.

"HICCUP! "

He looked at the water. "No..."

Snotlout looked back as Jack jumped off the boat. "Heimdall's eye..." Snotlout began sweating bullets. If something happened to his cousin, his family would never forgive him. It was bad enough that he was missing a leg now. Hiccup was definitely not the most durable of the Haddocks.

Jack plunged into the icy waters. Just below the surface, he saw something large caught in the fishing net: Hiccup. Hiccup's prosthetic foot had been caught in the net, and he was frantically trying to free himself. Jack grabbed from behind and pulled as hard as he could, but Hiccup's foot wouldn't budge. Hiccup shoved him then, and pointed upward.

Jack shook his head. He wasn't leaving Hiccup, not ever.

Hiccup rolled his eyes, pointed to the net, and pointed to the surface. He was running out of air, and this wasn't the best time to be arguing with his boyfriend. Jack swam up and began undoing the net. If he couldn't get Hiccup out of the net, he could at least detach the net from the boat.

While Jack worked on the net, Hiccup tried to work on another way out. The lack of air was getting to him. Finally he detached his prosthetic. The ice cold water hurt in ways he couldn't believe, but he had to keep moving. Jack returned below just in time to help Hiccup reach the surface.

He pushed Hiccup into Snotlout's arms first before dragging himself out of the water and back onto the boat. The cold air stung Hiccup's race. This wasn't the first time he had fallen into Berk's icy waters. He looked over at Jack, who still looked horrified.

Jack felt as if icicles were forming in his chest. His teeth chattered as he rubbed circles into Hiccup's stump. Harsh weather conditions were bad for his leg. Hiccup appreciated the gesture, but he was more worried about Jack. He cupped Jack's face in his hands. "Hey." Jack's skin was tinged a light blue, as if he had been in the water for much longer. He needed to get Jack back on land. The boat wasn't moving.

"Back to land!" Hiccup snapped at his cousin. There would be plenty of time to be scared and sorry later. Snotlout had steering to do.

"What in blazes were you thinking!?"

Spitelout shouted. They were back at the Haddock house. Jack and Hiccup were swathed in blankets. Hiccup had punched Jack a few times to keep him awake. His mangled prosthetic had been pulled from the ship's net, and sat on the table before them. Hiccup wouldn't be using it anytime soon.

Snotlout hadn't said a word since they returned to land.

Finally, through chattering teeth, Jack spoke. "I-It's m-my f-fault."

"What!?" Spitelout shouted. He looked from his son to Jack. "Were you the one behind the wheel?"

Jack looked at Snotlout, who looked as if his world had come to an end.

"Yes."

Hiccup stared at him, wide eyed. He looked at his cousin, who looked away.

"Fishing is not a game, Overland." Spitelout said, staring down at him.

"Heccup could have died today."

Jack's eyes lowered to the floor. "I'm sorry."

Stoick entered the house then with Valka. Frieda had fainted at the sight of them. Spitelout ushered them into the next room to talk.

"Why did you say that? " Hiccup asked.

Jack looked up from the floor. "What?"

"It wasn't you behind the wheel, Jack."

"No..." Jack looked at Hiccup. "But I told him to go faster."

Hiccup crossed his arms. "The way I remember it, you asked if it could go faster." He looked at Snotlout. "It was a question not a command. You know better, Snotlout."

"Mind explain why yer son tried to drown my boys ?" Valka asked Spitelout.

"Well, that would explain why he's the only dry one between them." Spitelout stroked his stubble-covered chin. "But why did the Overland boy say it was him?"

"To keep Snotlout out of trouble of course." Valka snorted. "The same way you and Stoick used to lie for each other. Or do you not remember?"

Stoick stroked his beard. "This is turning out to be s fine Christmas."

"Oh hush." Valka shook her head. "We'll give Snotlout one more chance to tell the truth."

"In the meantime, something has to be done about Heccup's leg." Stoick rubbed his temples. "Maybe Gobber can make him something."

Snotlout looked completely dejected, but he still couldn't make the motion to move fro his seat.

Hiccup could recall taking the fall for his cousin's actions several times as a child. He supposed that was why he was so irritated now. Well, maybe that and his leg. It was Christmas after all, and he would be hopping around all day.

Valka returned to the room with three steaming mugs. "Hot brandy. Warms you right up."

"Are you sure there isn't anything you would like to share, Snotlout?"

"I…" He could feel Hiccup's eyes burning a hole in the side of his head. "I was the one at the wheel. I'm sorry."

"I know." Valka said as Stoick and Snotlout entered.

"Don't worry, I'll figure out what to do with ye." Spitelout said.

Hiccup sipped his brandy, the drink warming his insides. He looked at Jack, who was staring at the cup. "It's not as weird as you think." He said. "Brandy is used for just about everything here. Teething, chills, in place of smelling salts…"

Jack took the drink, somewhat surprised. Of course this was Viking country. He didn't know what he was expecting, tea and cookies?

"You two should rest awhile."

At Valka's insistence, the two were put to bed. As a compromise they stayed in Hiccup's room. Toothless had made himself comfortable between them. They laid that way for at least an hour, before Jack wanted to shove the quilt away. Jack wondered about his life up until this point. There were good times and bad times, joy and sorrow. And yet Jack felt as if there was something he was doing wrong. This wasn't the Christmas he wanted for Hiccup. His phone vibrated. He slid out of bed and stood by the curtain.

'If there's something I'm doing wrong…' He thought, looking at the ceiling. 'Can you just tell me what it is?'

He looked at the caller ID. It was North.

"Jack! How is Christmas going in Berk?"

"Oh…" Jack stepped beyond the curtain. "It could be going better, I'll tell you that. But uh, how're you doing?"

"Fantastic! Burgess is beautiful! I have already opened my presents!"

Jack laughed at that. No matter how old North was, he was still excited at Christmastime.

"That's great. I can't wait to unwrap my presents when I get back."

"I must go Jack. Bell is ringing. I will talk to you soon."

"Oh-okay…Talk to you later."

With a tap of his phone their connection was severed. Jack returned to Hiccup's room. As he entered, Toothless took his exit. "Where are you going, furball? You're supposed to be making sure Hiccup is okay."

Toothless descended the stairs slowly. Hoping down one after the other.

Jack returned to the room. Hiccup was awake, his eyes focused on the ceiling.

"Jack."

"Hey." Jack took a seat on the edge of the bed. "How are you doing?"

Irritated, Hiccup flipped over onto his stomach, and pulled the quilt over his head.

"Hey…" Jack repeated. He slipped back into bed, joining Hiccup under the quilt.

Hiccup turned to him. "Hey yourself. Don't give me that face."

Jack kept his distance. "I'm only worried about you, Hiccup. I'm not making a face."

"I've fallen into those waters before, you know." He scooted a little closer. "That wasn't even the first time I got caught in a net like that." His face reddened slightly. "Albeit not at the same time…"

Jack sighed, reaching out to touch Hiccup's face. "When you fell in, I thought I was going to have a heart attack." He played with Hiccup's hair. "I'm sorry."

Hiccup shifted and moved Jack's hand from his face. "There's nothing to be sorry about. I'm fine."

"You're missing a foot, Hic." Jack's tone was light, but Hiccup could tell he wasn't joking. "I wouldn't call that fine."

"I've been missing a foot for awhile now." Hiccup replied. "And I'm doing just fine without it."

Jack frowned. "Hiccup…"

'Good grief.' Jack could be so infuriating sometimes. Hiccup pulled him closer, capturing his lips in a kiss. It was sloppy, but he hadn't gotten a lot of practice lately. That annoyed him. Jack was a great kisser, and had gotten a good amount of practice in thanks to a portion of Burgess High's female population. He pulled away and looked at Jack, who stared back in confusion.

"What?" Jack blinked. "You can't kiss someone like that and just stop."

Hiccup crossed his arms. 'Yeah, you would know.' He turned onto his side, away from Jack.

"Hiccup?"

Hiccup turned back. "It's nothing."

"Are you mad at me?" Jack asked.

Hiccup shook his head. "No…Yes…Kind of?"

Hurt flashed in Jack's eyes, and Hiccup felt like his stomach was in knots. "It's not like its your fault. I'm just a little…"He didn't want to admit it, but he didn't want to give Jack the wrong idea.

"Jealous…"

Jack blinked. "Jealous? Of what? Who?"

Hiccup shook his head. " I don't know...It's just you had a couple of relationships before this Jack. I…I don't even know what I'm doing."

"You can't be serious. Hic, this is the only serious relationship I've been in, period. I dated all those girls because they wanted to go out with me. There was no meaning to any of that."

"Not even Mavis?" Hiccup recalled the Valentine's day dance. He was sure Jack wasn't over her then. He wasn't sure Jack was over her now.

"Mavis is like…" Jack turned onto his back. "She was my first girlfriend. I wanted to be with her." He looked back at Hiccup. "I thought we would always be together but looking back, I realize it was silly. We liked each other, but we didn't love each other. I'm not going to say she isn't special to me. She's important to me the way Rapunzel and Merida are."

After a stifling period of silence Hiccup finally said, "I guess that's…fine."

"Just fine?" Jack inquired.

"As fine as possible." Hiccup said. " Look, it's Christmas. To be honest, I don't want to spend it talking about this."

"Yeah." Jack smiled. "There are more interesting things we could talk about."

"Like what?"

"Astrid."

Hiccup began to turn over. "Or you could talk and I could sleep. Forever."

Jack laughed and pulled Hiccup back to face him. "Or we could finish what we started this morning."

Hiccup blushed. "W-Well, there's that…"

Hiccup closed his eyes as Jack began his assault. There was something embarrassing about the way Jack kissed him. Hiccup thought his own embarrassment was ridiculous, considering there was no one around, but it didn't stop the creeping blush that seemed to take over his skin, or his quickening heartbeat.

Jack of course, thought the whole thing was adorable. He started with Hiccup's lips and moved on to neck, sucking and gnawing at several spots. Hiccup though it was a little possessive, but he wouldn't have it any other way. Jack's hands roamed across his body. He shivered at Jack's touch. It wasn't fair. He felt hot…too hot. A moan escaped Hiccup's lips, edging Jack on to continue with his activities.

He pushed up Hiccup's shirt, causing Hiccup to open his eyes. He looked less than comfortable, causing Jack to stop. "What's the matter?"

"…."

"Listen. If you want me to stop, I'll stop."

Hiccup shook his head. "It's not that…"

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He ran a hand through his hair. "Let me know if you feel like I'm rushing this. I don't want to do this unless you want me to."

Hiccup blushed.

Jack crossed his arms. "That isn't fair Hiccup. You can't make yourself extra adorable when we're having a serious conversation."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry for being adorable then." He looked off to the side. "I guess I'm not as comfortable as I thought I was. But then, I don't think we'll be alone like this for a long time. We probably shouldn't waste it." He smiled, sending a delicious shiver down Jack's spine.

Jack swallowed hard. "Well, if you say so."

They got up a little later, right before the mid-day meal. Hiccup let Jack help him down the stairs, feeling a lot closer to him than before. The short trek to his Uncle's home felt a little longer with one foot. Jack stopped and looked out at the town. "Hic, what's with that heap of stuff under the giant tree."

"I told you, we're going to set it on fire. It's the only logical thing to do with a giant heap of wood and metal."

"That is so metal."

Hiccup laughed. They headed into the house. As predicted there were plenty of foods Jack couldn't pronounce, and lots of friendly faces. Jack could see why the people of Berk were so bulky. If he stayed here, he'd have to put on some weight and muscle just to get around. He was supposed Hiccup managed to stay so small.

Gobber was present, and Hiccup was more than happy to start talking about his next prosthetic. Gobber was missing both a hand and a leg, so he was probably the best person to talk to when it came to limb replacement. They chatted about lightweight metals and plastics while more food was dished out.

With the eating came dancing and chatting. Eventually, the meal ended and they wobbled outside for fresh air. The sun was already setting. As it disappeared, people gathered in the square with watches and lighter fluid. The previous year's possessions were burned in a glorious fire, as the villagers paid homage to their Gods.

Jack thought it was beautiful. There was something mystical about the gesture of removing the old to make room for the new. Perhaps he should have burned a few things from his past as well. Maybe he would do so when they got back to Burgess. Maybe. With the dark came another meal, and Jack honestly was beginning to wonder where these people found the room for all this food. Presents were passed around this time, as Jack remembered it was actually still Christmas.

A drunken Frieda was chatting with her nephew by the fire.

Hiccup entertained his aunt to the best of his ability, as he did not see her often.

"So I hear y' ave the babymaker quilt in ye room, Heccup."

Hiccup's eye twitched. "Baby…maker…quilt?"

"Oh aye. Quite a bit of conceiving happened on that thing." She looked over at Jack, who sat by the tree. "Though I suppose y' can enjoy it without worryin' about any babiesss."

Hiccup thought he was going to be sick. There were some traditions he could live without.

Jack wasn't sure why, but Hiccup wasn't quiet for the rest of the night. When they returned home, Hiccup stuffed his quilt in the closet and wouldn't reply as to why he did it.

Jack supposed Hiccup should be allowed his little quirks.

Jack woke up early the next morning. He found Hiccup outside, staring at the town. A large amount of snow had fallen the previous night. The sun was rising slowly.

The wind had kicked up, bringing snow back up into the air. The tiny flakes twinkled like diamonds in the bright light: Diamond Dust. Jack had heard of the phenomenon before, but never witnessed it with his own eyes. Standing outside here wit Hiccup, Jack decided that he didn't want this trip to Berk to be his last.


End file.
